Legacy
by Annabelle Rae
Summary: Because she left a distinct mark in the lives of three different people, and to them, her story was something that deserved to be told.


**A/N:** Just so you don't get confused. The first part is in Mikan's grandfather's point of view. The second is Shiki's, and the last is Mikan's.

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**Disclaimer:** I do not own Gakuen Alice. I wish I did, though.

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He remembers that day. It was winter then. It was then that he met a woman, lying on the snow. She seemed weak and helpless, yet she held her daughter protectively, as if she was hoping that her body and warmth were enough to shield the baby from the extreme cold. She was crying out her daughter's name, Mikan, and a man's name, Izumi.

As he stood there and stared at the woman in front of him, all he felt was extreme pity. Her pain and sorrow was evident. It was also quite obvious that she had been running for a while and hadn't found a decent place to stay in with the way her appearance seemed neglected; her brown locks were in tangles, and her clothes were extremely creased. That was why he decided to help her. He brought her and her daughter to his house, and took care of them for a while.

He remembers that time when she woke up. The first thing he noticed was her eyes. They were amber, and were exactly the same as her daughter's. He will never forget the look in her eyes when he handed her her daughter. She stared at her as if she was a treasure she was afraid to let go, yet her eyes depicted sorrow at the same time. He did not miss the hint of sadness on her voice as she spoke her daughter's name, either.

Then suddenly, people from the government appeared. They were chasing her, apparently. Because of that, she entrusted Mikan under his care. And with tears welling in her eyes, she disappeared, just like a dream.

_That woman was a fighter. That much was sure._

Along with entrusting Mikan under his care, she gave up her happiness and her dream. It is every mother's dream to see her daughter grow up and become like her, or maybe her father, under her care, is it not? He was—and is still—sure that she must have wanted to hear her daughter speak, or walk, or run, for the first time. She must've wanted to hear her call her "mommy". She must have wanted to teach her how to read or write. She must have wanted to play with her, eat with her, and do everything with her. But she threw that dream away, and entrusted her daughter to a complete stranger in the hope of keeping her safe.

He admires that woman, until this very day. He will never forget his memories of her. And although he is aging and is continually forgetting, those memories of that woman and how she showed her love for her daughter shall remain as clear as the day.

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He reminisces the time when he saw her lying unconscious on the snow. She was crying then. How much pain she was in, he did not know, and he knew that will never understand. But it was then that he decided that he shall support Yuka no matter what. It did not matter that she will never reciprocate his feelings in the future. He knew that the woman he held in his arms that night was suffering. She had faced difficulties no one can ever imagine. She was sold by her parents, betrayed by her best friend, and the man she loved was killed. She was once again thrown away by her family, and the daughter she desperately tried to protect she had to give up, for her safety. So then, all he wanted was to be of help to her, in any way possible.

_Azumi Yuka was a strong and a loving person. He could testify at least that much._

No matter how hard the trials were, she faced them head on. No matter what predicament she was in, she never gave up. No matter how much her heart and her trust were broken, she always stood up. All these she did in the name of love. All these she did for the safety of her only daughter—Mikan.

He was there when she found out her best friend had died. He was there when she cut her hair; when she vowed never to cry again. He was there when she decided to side with the enemy in order to avenge the ones she loved, and to protect the one person she loves. The decision she made then was suicide- that he knew. She was risking her life every time they had to attack the ESP's clones, but she never cared. If she did care, it was because she was worried about him, but not about herself. Every time, she put herself on mortal danger just to be one step closer to her goal.

She was a great mother, and that is a _fact._

A good mother will do everything for the sake of her child, even if that requires throwing away her happiness and giving up her dreams; or putting her life in danger just so she can be safe. And Yuka did just that.

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It seems as though it was yesterday when she saw her mother's past.

Every night, she dreams about her. Oftentimes, it was about her crying about the loss of Izumi, her lover. There were times that she was smiling, holding Mikan in her arms. Sometimes she was weak, lying on the snow. And on rare occasions, she seemed emotionless, attacking the ESP. No matter what she dreams about, she always wakes up crying. How can she not, though? It might have been for only a few hours—a day or two at most—but she has grown to love and respect her more ever since she learned the truth about her. How can she not be touched by the sacrifices she made just for her, for her father, or for Natsume's mother, Igarashi Kaoru?

But she's gone now. She's _dead._ And no matter what Mikan does, she can never change that fact.

She can't help but hate herself. During her first meeting with her mother, she just judged her. She called her names. She _hated _her. She never knew that all she did,_ all of it_, was for her. She feels bad about how she treated her then. She hated her because she left her, but she did not know why, did she? _But no, she just had to go on and judge. _She was the worst daughter…

...and she was the best mother.

She cannot believe how much pain her mother had to endure. She left her for her safety. She opposed the academy for her safety. She put herself in mortal danger for her safety. All of it was for her, yet she did not repay her properly.

_And now, all she feels is regret._

She regrets not being able to tell her how much she loves her. She regrets not being there when she needed her most. She regrets not believing her when she had the chance. She regrets not being able to save her when there she was, within her arm's reach. She regrets not being with her. She regrets not being able to appreciate her when she had the time.

Because no matter what, Azumi Yuka was the best mother anyone could ask for. She was a fighter, strong-willed and loving. She might have not been there when she made her first step, or when she uttered her first word. She was not there when she grew up. But still, maybe somewhere deep in her heart, she has always loved her. And discovering her past just made her throw away her doubts and love her even more.

_Yuka Azumi may have died, but she will live in Sakura Mikan's heart forever._

**END**

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**Author's Note: **Because it's not only for May Madness. It's Mother's Day, and I thought I'd do a tribute for Yuka. She deserves to be honored, really.

With much regards,  
Athena :)


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